It’s a strange truism that sometimes the most eye-opening facts are the ones we least expect. For example, did you know that
92 % of mobile apps use insecure cryptography, which puts millions of users at risk? That’s not a scare tactic - it’s a wake-up call for companies who create mobile apps, especially when privacy and trust matter so much.
That startling fact sets the problem: too many mobile apps are built without strong security and privacy in mind. It’s a company’s responsibility to get this right. I’m going to outline the challenges and guide you through concrete, practical solutions—no fluff, just clear steps and fresh insight.
Why Security Matters
But before we look at possible solutions, let’s be clear on why this issue is so important.
The Risks for Businesses
Think about what happens when your app becomes a hacker’s next target. What’s at stake if your app isn’t secure? Hackers don’t care if you’re a startup or an enterprise—they want access. And because this is an ever-increasing problem, the scope and sophistication of external threats
require continuous adaptation.
Imagine launching your app, gaining user trust, then losing it overnight. That’s not hypothetical—it’s a ticking time bomb if you push security aside.
Privacy as a Cornerstone of Trust
Now let’s flip the lens and look at the human side of this. Beyond money, privacy matters. Recent research found that
80 % of fitness apps share user data with third parties, including sensitive info like ethnicity or religious beliefs—even when not disclosed.
Trust isn’t just nice to have; it’s vital for brand reputation and long-term success.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
It helps to see where most apps go wrong before fixing them.
Insecure Storage & Data Leakage
Let’s start with the most frequent and damaging mistake. And that’s the fact that many mishandle data - storing it without encryption or sending it over insecure channels.
Cracking the Code: Reverse Engineering
Here’s another common problem developers underestimate. They can be reverse-engineered, revealing logic and tokens - especially if obfuscation is weak or missing.
Permissions Gone Wild
Excessive permissions are often overlooked but highly risky. Some apps ask for endless access—location, microphone, contacts—without justification. A report by Which? Found that 20 popular apps requested a collective
882 risky permissions.
From a Company’s Perspective
Now let’s widen the view and see this from an organizational angle. As an IT leader or security specialist, what should your organization do?
- Invest in Developer Training: Teach teams to write secure code, handle encryption, and think about privacy from Day One.
- Set Security Metrics: Track how fast you detect and patch vulnerabilities, use metrics like MTTD/MTTR, or third-party SDK risk score.
- Audit Your App Stores: Fake or malicious apps are on the rise—over 120 000 fake apps in 2025, many impersonating banks or retail brands. Ensure your app stands out as legit and secure.
- Think Like a Hacker: Use threat modeling to understand how attacks could hit, then build defenses proactively—both technically and operationally.
Special Note—Parenting Apps & Web Design
This is where security becomes personal for families. Parenting apps often need to handle sensitive data—kid profiles, location, messaging. Here’s how to do it responsibly:
- Design privacy-first layouts: place permission requests in context, explain why the app asks for access.
- Consider link needs: if you want to reference a text monitoring app iPhone, use it sparingly. For example, early in user onboarding you might say: “Concerned about your child’s safety? Learn how a text monitoring app iPhone can help—with transparent privacy controls.”
- Use secure back-end design: avoid sending location or chat history without encryption or parental consent.
- Build in GDPR/CCPA compliance, especially if the app serves global users.
Best Cybersecurity Practices
Now let’s switch gears and focus on
how to do things right.
1. Encrypt Everything
Encryption should be your app’s first line of defense. So always encrypt data at rest (e.g., AES-256 with secure key storage) and in transit (use TLS 1.3 or better). Don’t take shortcuts.
2. Minimize Permissions—Explain Why
The fewer permissions you request, the more trust you build. Only ask for what you truly need. And when you do, use clear, user-friendly purpose strings. On iOS, many apps still omit these—yet they’re critical for user consent and compliance. Feel free to ask: “Does this make sense to users?”—because it must.
3. Use Secure Libraries and Keep Them Updated
Outdated libraries are like leaving the back door open. In 2025, it was reported that
91 % of apps used outdated libraries with no patches—creating silent vulnerabilities. Keep dependencies updated, and audit them regularly.
4. Build Security Into Development (Shift Left)
Don’t wait until the app is finished to think about risks. Use static and dynamic analysis tools in your CI/CD pipeline. Scan early, scan often.
5. Monitor in Real Time
Even the best code won’t catch everything once your app goes live. Add runtime application self-protection (RASP) or threat monitoring to catch attacks while the app is in use. Security needs to adapt to fast-changing threats like AI-driven attacks.
Wrapping Up—Promise and Resolution
At this point, you’ve seen the risks and the remedies side by side.
So what’s the solution? Make privacy and security core pillars of your app strategy—not tacked on at the end. Use encryption, minimize permissions, update libraries, test early, monitor always, and educate teams. As a company, you can turn security into a competitive edge, not a headache.
Starting with one control—say, encrypting all in-transit data—and building from there is better than nothing. Will you make security your superpower? One day, you’ll be glad you did – or rue the day that you didn’t.
